Rainbows
by Ultimate-Bear
Summary: An encounter with a child in the forest makes Ice Bear realize what should have been remembered a long time ago. Set four years before the first episode. One shot.


**So while I was scrolling on my dashboard, I saw an early sketchboard animation board video for "Everyone's Tube". It was the part where Ice Bear and Chloe sang. However, the song used was different. And the song is actually better than the other one that they used in the actual episode. And this inspired me to make another Ice Bear-centered fanfic.**

 **Just a little note: Because there were no lyrics, I had to write them by ear. So apologies if there were mistakes.**

 **Oh yeah. I always have this headcanon that Ice Bear suffers from separation anxiety because of his past but keeps it to himself and would ignore it by doing chores.**

 **I hope you all enjoy this!**

 **-Ultimate-Bear-sama**

* * *

Ice Bear was used to loneliness.

It wasn't really a surprising fact, given that he _was_ alone until Yuri found him, felt sadness when Yuri pushed him away from mainland to save him from the hunters, and always felt that aching pain surrounding him until his brothers decided to adopt him. And even as they grew up, Ice Bear always felt the misery and sadness inside him whenever his brothers would leave him for a minute or a whole day or even more than that. A part of him wanted to scream (despite the damage in his larynx) at them. He wanted to prevent them from leaving the door. To cling onto them until he was very weak. To be with them, even in slumber.

But he couldn't.

It seemed selfish of him if he were to let his feelings explode just like that. It would seem extremely rude on his part. He wasn't the attention whore type. And he rather keep the way things are: his brothers always leaving him and him doing chores while ignoring that irritable pain.

Ice Bear sighed. Things like those can stress him out. And he did not like that.

He finished cleaning the whole cave. All that was left now was to make his own lunch. Panda said that they would be back by dinner time, which meant more hours of suffering for him.

But Ice Bear didn't feel any hunger. And so he sat down on the couch and tried to distract himself with some television.

But not even the television helped.

He groaned. His heart pounded even faster.

Ice Bear was all alone. He didn't have anyone to hold on. And the thought of being a solo bear made him terrified. It was a nightmare that would always come true no matter what he'd do. And all he could was to hold himself and wait until someone's actually there for him.

Suddenly, the thoughts and memories came back.

Being alone in that box in New York City.

Abandoned by a kid who took care of him like a brother.

The nights when not even the cold seemed welcoming to him.

The long hours of enduring the pains and bruises given by those jerks from New Jersey.

Always feeling bitter jealousy when he sees a family happy or a couple enjoying the wonders of the world.

And the voice that would always echo, "You'll never survive in this world. You're all alone."

Tears poured from his eyes. He silently sobbed and let out the sadness he hid in his heart for years.

It was painful.

It hurt him so much.

He wanted someone to reassure him that he's always loved.

That he's never alone.

That somebody will be there to support him.

But reality, unfortunately, did otherwise.

He bit his lip, shaking his head.

His brothers might come in a few minutes. If they find out about his tears, then he'd feel extreme guilt for allowing himself to be the center of attention.

Besides, wasn't he supposed to protect them instead of the other way around?

 _Oh you say you feel alone_

 _But that's not true_

He paused from walking to the kitchen sink.

Did he hear a girl just singing outside?

Ice Bear needed to find out who it was.

 _Oh you say that you feel alone_

 _But that's not true_

He quickly went outside and cocked his head to sense where the sound came from. He ran into the woods and tried to find that girl using her voice.

 _Just open your eyes_

 _I'm here with you_

And in an instant, he found her.

She looked nothing more but a six year old with short, black hair, red glasses with a sweater, jeans, shoes, and paint all around her from her face to her clothes. On the ground were bottles with paint in them, brushes, and a piece of paper with paint on it.

Ice Bear found the human to be rather endearing. What could a child be doing in the forest all alone?

The girl turned to him and grinned. "My name's Chloe! I'm lost in the forest and I'm waiting for mommy and daddy to pick me up!"

Lost in the forest? So was she alone this whole time?

Ice Bear sat and tried to make a smile. "I-Ice Bear."

"It's nice to meet you, mister! Are you lost as well?"

He nodded. "Ice Bear is lost as well."

The girl chuckled. "Glad to know that I'm not alone as well!"She then went back to painting while singing.

 _I know what it's like_

 _To feel blue_

 _Wouldn't pink and green_

She poured blue, pink, and green in one paper and mixed them with her hands.

 _Mix up the colors and you're feelin' great_

The paint got to Chloe's nose, which made her giggle. Ice Bear tilted his head to see the mess she made.

But it was the cute kind of mess. It was the sort of childlike mess that brought him back to those days when he and Yuri would do nothing but go out and fish.

That made him wonder. Was Yuri watching him from the sky? Had it always been like that ever since Ice Bear was separated from him?

 _The colors always shine brighter_

The wind became stronger. The sky slowly turned dark.

Chloe might get sick. He needed to find his way back to the cave. Fast. He didn't want that girl to get sick.

 _Against the darkest, dullest, skies_

A scarlet leaf with a hole landed on his nose. Ice Bear was about to take it off when Chloe took it and put the hole near her eye to see what the bear would look like "behind" that hole.

 _I know you're a rainbow deep deep inside_

 _I know you're a rainbow deep deep inside_

"Chloe! Are you here?"

Chloe gasped. "Those are my parents!"She picked up her things clumsily and ran towards the direction of the voice. "Hope we can talk again, Mr. Bear! Bye bye!"

And with that, she disappeared.

A few hours later, when Ice Bear got back to the cave, his brothers cried and hugged him.

"Where _were_ you, little brother?!"

"You could've gotten yourself hurt!"

And that made Ice Bear wonder.

Did his brothers feel the same way he would feel when they get separated?

"Don't worry, bro. From now on, you're sticking with us. We don't want you getting yourself nearly killed ever again."

But that wasn't the surprising part on that night.

You know what it was?

Ice Bear crying his heart and love out in front of his brothers.

And that was a lesson he would never forget for years to come.


End file.
